WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest's women's tennis team got off to a strong start for the spring season, sweeping past Richmond 7-0 at the Indoor Tennis Center on Saturday morning.

In the first half of the doubleheader against Richmond this morning, the Demon Deacons swept past the Spiders 7-0 for their 13th consecutive victory against the school dating back to 1986. It is also the fifth time that Wake Forest has swept Richmond over that same span.

In doubles, Kathryn Talbert and Kasey Gardiner made short work of Melissa Kandinata and Alexandra Smyth at the No. 1 position, cruising to an 8-3 victory without much of a challenge.

At the No. 2 spot, Xue Zhang and Karen Forman faced a tougher test against Anna Abadias and Katya Salas, who kept the match close until the very end. Clinging to a slim 6-5 lead, Zhang and Forman took control and won the final two games for an 8-5 win that clinched the doubles point for the Deacs.

Finally, Andrea Retolaza and Brigita Bercyte teamed up once again at No. 3 doubles and went back and forth with Richmond's Emily Gitman and Elizabeth Sims. The Spiders duo grabbed an early advantage, but Retolaza and Bercyte stormed back to take a 4-3 lead. Despite surrendering that lead and falling into a 7-6 hole, they rallied to win the match 8-7 (8-6) after claiming the tiebreaker to sweep the doubles matches for Wake Forest.

Four of the six singles matches were straight-set victories for the Deacs, including Talbert at No. 1. Playing singles for the first time this spring, she routed Kandinata 6-0, 6-3 for a statement win.

"It was great to see Kathryn out there playing and winning a singles match. I think it was a great start to the spring for her today," coach Jeff Wyshner said of the senior's performance.

Zhang and Bercyte wrapped up their matches quickly after Talbert. Zhang defeated Salas 6-4, 6-1 at the No. 3 position and Bercyte dropped Ripley Hartmeyer 6-1, 6-2 at No. 6.

Forman was next to finish, easing to a 6-1, 6-2 win over Gitman at No. 5 to return to her winning ways.

Gardiner and Retolaza were pressed much harder than their teammates at No. 2 and No. 4 singles, respectively. Gardiner dropped her opening set 6-3, but rallied to claim the second 6-4 and then triumphed in a 10-point tiebreaker in lieu of a third set, winning the match 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-1).

Retolaza continued to show incredible poise for a freshman, capturing her second three-set victory in less than a week by defeating Sims 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.

"We looked young at times today, especially with Andrea and Kasey each going down a set, but I was very pleased with the way that we fought back," Wyshner added when discussing the freshmen's performances.

The Deacs are set to face Elon in Greensboro on Saturday afternoon for the second leg of the doubleheader. Following that match, they will return to action next Sunday as they travel to Atlanta to take on Georgia State at 10:00 a.m.